One Second
by Fingersnaps
Summary: Mr & Mrs Vance share a conversation after the events of the Season Nine finale. This is written for an all dialogue challenge on NFA, so there is no description, or scene setting...


5

"Leon drink this, you look exhausted."

"I'm okay honey; doing better than him."

"How is he?"

"Critical but stable…what the hell does that even mean?"

"Honey, calm down; they're doing everything they can. Agent McGee is alive; he's through the twenty-four hour mark."

"Almost…we've lost so many already Jackie. I can't…not another…"

"Oh Leon don't, you should come home with me, making yourself sick isn't going to help anyone."

"Can't leave him. I promised Gibbs McGee wouldn't be alone."

"Then I'll sit with you for a while; Martha said the children can sleep over if need be."

"She's a good friend."

"The best…Leon, Agent McGee's family…"

"Overseas, earliest they can get here is 9am tomorrow…Imagine Jackie, if it was us waiting for a flight, knowing our son was fighting for his life, powerless to help him…"

"They must be going through hell; I know I would be…how much detail do they know?"

"Pretty much everything; McGee…Tim, his dad is an admiral, even in a situation like this rank has its privileges…I let him down Jackie, let them all down, I should have made sure everyone was out, my agency, my responsibility."

"You can't be everywhere, most everyone made it out."

"McGee didn't...I called to him, told him to get out…just one second he said…he was downloading something, I could see that…focussed on the job. I should have ordered him out; I've seen enough of his personal appraisals to know he can lose himself in the work…if it had only been one second…"

"Leon, this is not your fault, none of it; a deranged man with the money and the resources to cause mayhem did exactly that. His deluded mind led him to strike out at innocent men and women…Dearing did this Leon, his bomb put Agent….put Tim in harm's way, not you."

"They almost lost him twice in surgery…he can't even breathe without a machine Jackie; if he dies…"

"No! Leon Vance you do not go there! He's young, strong, he has the best medical care there is, and so many prayers…he will pull through."

"I believe it when you say it, only…look at him; he lost so much blood…we didn't even search for him right away. After the bomb...it was chaos, people running everywhere, not knowing if there was another device on the Yard. By the time Gibbs and Ms Sciuto started asking questions about their team…it was too long, we should have checked the squad room, only we thought that area was clear…two dead, Tim…"

"You're doing it again honey; I'll keep saying it 'til you're sick of hearing me. You did all you could, no one has any right to ask more. Dearing is in custody, he'll never be free again, your agency did great work under the worst possible circumstances, you should be proud."

"I am, more than I'll ever be able to say…You know why we got to Dearing so fast?"

"Yes…you told me Leon."

"It was Tim…He had the data on his thumb drive…the explosion blew him off his feet, but he didn't let go; had it in his hand when the rescue team finally got to him."

"He'll be happy to know he helped put this evil man away…You hear that Tim? Without you they'd still be trying to find Dearing, you made our world a safer place to be, you have to wake up so that we can all say thank you…Do you think he hears us Leon?"

"No way of knowing Sweetheart, but it can't hurt to let him know he has people who care. I'll stay until one of his team is rested enough to come sit with him."

"You're a good man Leon, with a big heart, no wonder I love you."

"Don't tell everyone, I have an image to protect."

"Too late, but your secret's safe with me."

"Gibbs, what are you doing here? I thought you were going home to get some rest."

"I can rest right here, not going to sleep tonight, might as well sit with Tim. Saw the doctor on the way in, she says his vital signs are better, nowhere near out of the woods yet…guess we have to take what we can get."

"Amen to that Jethro, but you don't have to stay, Leon and I could sit with Tim, you've had a rough twenty-four hours."

"We all have Jackie…you should take your husband home, he's had a rougher time than most."

"Not true Gibbs, so many dead…injured…headquarters wrecked…on my watch. I should have done more; it was my responsibility to get everyone out, to stop them taking another second to…"

"No Leon, you're not taking this on your shoulders. We're all grown-ups, we made our own calls, Tim too…he knew what he was doing."

"How could he? The bomb…we expected it to be disarmed."

"There were no guarantees Leon; you know what Tony says about him? Plans and protocols, they go through his mind at warp speed…Tim weighed up the options, and he was prepared to sacrifice everything to save the data that would lead us to Dearing. It was his choice; you wouldn't have been able to stop him if you tried."

"You teach all your team to be as stubborn as you Gibbs?"

"Nah…seems they just pick it up as they go along."

"I'd noticed…Gibbs, are you sure about this, we could stay."

"I'm sure. I talked with Ducky, he's doing better, Dearing's locked away…where else should I be Leon? This is my place; your place is with your family. Go home, let me take care of my own…I owe him that much."

"You owe him?"

"He was alone Leon, I was with Abby; Ziva and Tony, stupid as they were, they were together; Tim…"

"I left him too Gibbs."

"You think that makes us even? Not even close…Tim is one of my people, I didn't watch out for him yesterday, but I will now, for as long as necessary. Take him home Jackie, be together."

"Thank you Jethro, and Tim…my prayers are with you; goodnight."

"Call me if there's any change?"

"You'll be about the fourth or fifth to know Leon, but I'll call."

"Good enough. I won't tell you to rest."

"Not tonight…when his family gets here, we can all take a break."

"Guess I'll have to settle for that. Tim, you've done great so far…keep going for all our sakes…goodnight."

"Just you and me now Tim. Ducky…he had a heart attack, not serious but he can't travel for a few days. He said I was to tell you he wants to see you up and talking when he gets home…We got Dearing, Abby worked with some FBI techs, it was your data that led us to the bastard. I wanted him dead…not even dead, I wanted him hurting so bad he'd be screaming over and over…only I couldn't…we still stand for something Tim, you know that better than most. He'll get his day in court, but you have my word, he'll never walk free, never…The others will be calling by in the morning, I ordered them to get some sleep…do as I say, not as I do huh? You have to pull through, my team…who am I kidding? My family…we fit Tim, maybe we shouldn't, but together we're…"

"Unstoppable Boss."

"DiNozzo! What the…you're supposed to be sleeping."

"Like that's going to happen; only reason Abby and Ziva aren't here is because I told them Tim was only allowed two visitors. They're setting their alarms for 04.00, and then we're being kicked out…Hey Tim, no need to give us the strong, silent treatment; feel free to chip in any time…Boss…"

"He's going to make it Tony, and when he's back at work I'm going to order him to hand out his first head slaps."

"This is about the elevator isn't it?"

"Ya think?"

"Wasn't thinking back then, that's for sure…if we'd taken the stairs maybe we'd have seen Tim."

"Maybe…all the maybes in the world can't change what happened Tony."

"I know; damn it Boss, why him? He was trying to help catch Dearing…me, I was acting like an idiot; how come he's in the ICU and I'm walking round with a few bruises?"

"Because that's how things turned out…could easily have gone the other way. We all made decisions, split-second decisions; now we have to live with the consequences."

"How do we do that if Tim doesn't get to live?"

"He will, he has to. You hear me Tim? Your grandmother's on the way, you know what she'll do to me if…don't make me give her bad news; take as much time as you need, just stay with us."

THE END

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